Spreader for spreading pulverulent and granular materials

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a forced-air spreader for spreading pulverulent or granular material. This spreader comprises a frame which is adapted to be connected to a tractor and which is mounted on wheels and which carries a hopper adapted to receive pulverulent or granular material and to distribute it through proportioning units of known type to tubes of different lengths mounted on two arms pivotally connected to the hopper, pipe connections being provided whereby, from each proportioning unit, the distributed material passes transversely into the neck of a venturi which at its inlet receives air supplied by a centrifugal fan and which produces, in the respective pipe connection, a suction effect that draws in the said material, this material being entrained by the current of air, being projected out of the venturi with acceleration, and escaping through the respective pivotally mounted tube, which at its end is provided with a deflector or dividing element dispersing the material thus entrained and projected, and the pivotally mounted tubes thus effecting the uniform distribution of the material over the ground.

United States Patent 72] lnventor Xavier Roger Grataloup Montereau,France [21] Appl. No. 848,450

22 Filed Aug. 8, 1969 [45] Patented Mar. 9, 1971 [73] Assignee SocieteAnonyme: Nodet-Gougis Montereau, France [32] Priority Aug. 14, 1968 [3 3France [54] SPREADER FOR SPREADING PULVERULENT AND GRANULAR MATERIALS 6Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [5 2] US. Cl 239/655, 302/28, 302/51 [51] Int.Cl A0lc 15/04 [50] Field of Search 302/28, 51, 57; 239/654, 655, 670

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,001 7/1916 Hartpence302/57 2,150,767 3/1939 Heim 239/654 2,965,379 12/1960 Ganley 239/654Primary Examiner-Andres H. Nielsen Attorney- Baldwin, Wight and BrownABSTRACT: The present invention relates to a forced-air spreader forspreading pulverulent or granular material.

This spreader comprises a frame which is adapted to be connected to atractor and which is mounted on wheels and which carries a hopperadapted to receive pulverulent or granular material and to distribute itthrough proportioning units of known type to tubes of different lengthsmounted on two arms pivotally connected to the hopper, pipe connectionsbeing provided whereby, from each proportioning unit, the distributedmaterial passes transversely into the neck of a venturi which at itsinlet receives air supplied by a centrifugal fan and which produces, inthe respective pipe connection, a suction effect that draws in the saidmaterial, this material being entrained by the current of air, beingprojected out of the venturi with acceleration, and escaping through therespective pivotally mounted tube, which at its end is provided with adeflector or dividing element dispersing the material thus entrained andprojected, and the pivotally mounted tubes thus effecting the uniformdistribution of the material over the ground.

SPREADER FOR SPREADDIG PULVERULENT AND GRANULAR MATERIALS The presentinvention relates to a forced-air spreader for spreading pulverulent orgranular material.

With the improvement of productivity in agricultural work there is ademand for spreaders for spreading pulverulent or granular materialwhich meet the following criteria:

1. They must work over very great widths.

2. They must ensure the requisite accuracy in the proportioning of thematerial to be spread and they must ensure good distribution of thismaterial over the ground.

3. They must enable the size of the spreading implement to be easilyreduced for transportation or for parking elsewhere than in a field.

4. They must be able to spread pulverulent materials as well as granularmaterials. The screw-type distributors, disc-type distributors andmoving-bottom-type distributors which are already known havedistribution widths equal to the implement width, so that theirdistribution width is rather limited.

Moreover, the width of these implements cannot be reduced when theimplement is idle, and the task of loading their hoppers, which are verylong, does not really suit the ordinary type of loading means (i.e. atipping hopper, Archimedean screw, or conveyor belt).

The so-called centrifugal distributors do meet the first of the abovecriteria, and their dimensions are quite small, but since they work byprojecting the material centrifugally the regularity of their spreadingis by no means perfect. Their spreading regularity is in fact generallyconsidered by users to be inadequate, and because they do depend uponcentrifugal projection these implements are unsuitable for use in thespreading of pulverulent fertilizers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an implement thatmeets all four of the above criteria.

According to the present invention, a spreader for spreading pulverulentor granular material comprises a frame which is adapted to be connectedto a tractor and which is mounted .on wheels and which carries a hopperadapted to receive pulverulent or granular material and to distribute itthrough proportioning units of known type to tubes of different lengthsmounted on two arms pivotally connected to the hopper, pipe connectionsbeing provided whereby, from each proportioning unit, the distributedmaterial passes transversely into the neck of a venturi which at itsinlet receives air supplied by a centrifugal fan and which produces, inthe respective .pipe

connection, a suction effect that draws in the said material,

this material being entrained by the current of air, being projected outof the venturi with acceleration, and escaping through the respectivepivotally mounted tube, which at its end is provided with a deflector ordividing element dispersing the material thus entrained and projected,and the pivotally mounted tubes thus effecting the uniform distributionof the material over the ground.

The fan may be driven by the power takeoff of the tractor.

The proportioning units may be of a rotary type and may be driven by theland wheels of the implement through a gearbox, or other variable-speeddrive, so that the output of these units can be suited to the rate ofadvance of the implement over'the ground.

Partitions or screens are preferably provided to separate theproportioning units from one another-and to divide the output from theseunits between the tubes carried by the pivotally connected arms.

The pivotally connected arms are preferably adapted to be foldedtowardsthe rear to facilitate transportation of the im plement from one site toanother.

Preferablythe frame of the implement has an axle which is adjustable inlength so that the track of the implement wheels canbe suited to thewidth of the tractor.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly and without limitation, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of the implement in its working position,

FIG. 2 is a corresponding side view,

FIG. 3 is a corresponding top view,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentaryside view of a proportioning unit, and theventuri fed by it, on a larger scale, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a proportioning unit, again on alarger scale and partly in section, looking along the venturi axes.

As shown in FIG. 1, the implement comprises an axle 1 carrying two landwheels 2 and adapted to be varied in length, to permit adjustment of theimplement wheel track to suit the width of the tractor.

A frame 3 carrying a hopper 4 for pulverulent or granular material ismounted on the axle l.

On each side of the hopper 4 there are pivotally mounted two arms 5,each of which is carried at its end by a pivotally mounted fork 6running on a wheel 7; the arms 5 can thus either be brought into aposition at right angles to the direction in which the implement is tomove when in use, or be folded parallel to that direction fortransportation or parking of the implement.

As will be seen from FIG. 2, the frame 3 can be connected to a tractor(see 8) by any usual means.

On the frame 3 there is mounted a centrifugal fan 9 driven by a belt 10from the output shaft of bevel gearing l1 driven through a universaljoint on the power takeoff of the tractor. The fan 9 feeds a wind box 12feeding two series of venturis 13,'of which there is one series on eachside of the hopper 4.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each venturi 13 receives air from the windbox 12 through an inlet pipe 131:, and receives pulverulent or granularmaterial through a transverse pipe 14 leading into the neck of theventuri. Thepipe 14 leads from a proportioning unit 15 of known type,with either grooves or studs, as at present in use in seed meteringsowing devices.

The proportioning units 15 are situated at the base of the hopper 4 andare separated from one another by partitions 16, which divide the outputof the units 15 into equal portions, distributed between the respectiveventuris. I

The outlet pipes 13b of the venturis 13 are connected to tubes 17 ofdifferent lengths, carried by the arms 5 At the end of each tube 17there is a deflector or divider 18 to ensure good distribution of thepulverulent or granular material over the ground.

The proportioning units 15 rotate on shafts 19 driven through a gearboxor other variable-speed drive 20 from the wheels 2.

The implement functionsin the following manner.

When the implement has been connected to and is being towed by atractor, the wheels 2 drive the proportioning units 15 through thegearbox or other variablespee d drive 20. This makes it possible toensure a flow of pulverulent or granular material proportional totherateof advance of the implement over the ground. By changing the ratio ofthe gearbox or other variable-speed drive 20, it is possible to adjustthe amount of pulverulent or granular material, e.g. fertilizer which isspread per hectare or per acre.

The pulverulent or granular ,material passing out of the proportioningunits 15 drops to the level of the neck of the respective venturi 13,the partitions or screens 16 directing the output of each proportioningunit to the appropriate pipe 14 leading to the respective venturi aspreviously indicated.

The fan 9, driven from the power takeoff of the tractor, blows air intothe wind box 12, which distributes it between the various venturis 13.The latter produce, in the pipes 14, a slight suction effect whichfacilitates the descent of the pulverulent or granular material andeliminates any possibility of an upward airstream. This arrangementmakes it unnecessary to provide airtight sealing means acting betweenthe higher pressure end of the tubes 17 and the outside.

At the level of the neck of each venturi 13 the higher air speedaccelerates the pulverulent or granular material in the pipe 13b of theventuri.

At the end of each tube 17 the deflector or divider 18 discurrent in theventuri and projected out of the venturi at accelerated speed into oneof the tubes of differentiated lengths; and guiding means disposed atthe outlets of the tubes of differentiated lengths whereby the materialentrained in and protributes the pulverulent or granular materialuniformly over 5 j d f h venturis i di ib d if fl over the the ground.By correctly proportioning the material reaching these deflectors therecan thus be obtained perfect distribution'of the material over theworking width.

To transport the implement from one site to another, the two arms 5 arefolded towards the rear, the wheels 7 aligning themselves substantiallybehind the wheels 2.

Various modifications to the general form and detailed arrangement ofthe above-described implement may naturally be made without therebydeparting from the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A forced air spreader for spreading particulate material, comprising:a frame mounted on wheels and adapted to be connected to a tractor; ahopper which is carried on the frame and which is adapted to receiveparticulate material; rotary proportioning units fed from the hopper;tubes of differentiated lengths disposed on two arms pivotally connectedto the hopper; a series of pipe connections and a series of venturis, apipe connection leading from each proportioning unit into the neck of aventuri; a centrifugal air blower whose outlet communicates with theinlets of the venturis, whereby in each pipe connection there isproduced a suction effect drawing forth the particulate material, whichis entrained by the air ground.

2. A spreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the fan is provided withdrive means adapted to be connected to a tractor power takeoff.

3. A spreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the rotary proportioningunits are driven by the wheels of the spreader through a variable-speeddrive whereby the output of the proportioning units can be adjusted withrespect to the rate of advance of the spreader over the ground.

4. A spreader as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises screenswhich separate the proportioning units from one another and divide theoutput of the proportioning units between the tubes of differentiatedlengths.

5. A spreader as set forth in claim 4, in which the arms pivotallyconnected to the hopper are adapted to be folded to the rear of thespreader, whereby the spreader is prepared for transportation.

6. A spreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the frame comprises anaxle of adjustable length, whereby the spreader wheel track can beadjusted in accordance with the width of a tractor to which the spreaderis connected.

1. A forced air spreader for spreading particulate material, comprising:a frame mounted on wheels and adapted to be connected to a tractor; ahopper which is carried on the frame and which is adapted to receiveparticulate material; rotary proportioning units fed from the hopper;tubes of differentiated lengths disposed on two arms pivotally connectedto the hopper; a series of pipe connections and a series of venturis, apipe connection leading from each proportioning unit into the neck of aventuri; a centrifugal air blower whose outlet communicates with theinlets of the venturis, whereby in each pipe connection there isproduced a suction effect drawing forth the particulate material, whichis entrained by the air current in the venturi and projected out of theventuri at accelerated speed into one of the tubes of differentiatedlengths; and guiding means disposed at the outlets of the tubes ofdifferentiated lengths whereby the material entrained in and projectedfrom the venturis is distributed uniformly over the ground.
 2. Aspreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the fan is provided withdrive means adapted to be connected to a tractor power takeoff.
 3. Aspreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the rotary proportioningunits are driven by the wheels of the spreader through a variable-speeddrive whereby the output of the proportioning units can be adjusted withrespect to the rate of advance of the spreader over the ground.
 4. Aspreader as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises screens whichseparate the proportioning units from one another and divide the outputof the proporTioning units between the tubes of differentiated lengths.5. A spreader as set forth in claim 4, in which the arms pivotallyconnected to the hopper are adapted to be folded to the rear of thespreader, whereby the spreader is prepared for transportation.
 6. Aspreader as set forth in claim 1, in which the frame comprises an axleof adjustable length, whereby the spreader wheel track can be adjustedin accordance with the width of a tractor to which the spreader isconnected.